Just a quick post today - busy gathering tax documents so I can ship them off to the accountant. Then, it's crash course gardening weekend - one "Northwest Newcomers" class and one on "Pruning." Spring seems just around the corner with these mild temperatures, and I have all fingers crossed that our garden will be back in its glory having been under our care since last June. We're also going to be planting a veggie garden this year (stay tuned!), so hopefully I'll learn a few tips in that department, too.
I think I mentioned I wasn't going to do a lot of posts on design, products, etc. Not because I don't enjoy looking at that stuff, but there are so many blogs out there doing it already that I don't think I'd add much to the mix. That's probably the case with this post, but I couldn't resist putting up a few pics of Angela Adams' Maine cottage featured this month in Coastal Living. I am a huge Angela Adams fan; I love her work and use it in a lot of projects. I even based all of the decor decisions in my daughter's playroom based on her "Birch" curtains that I bought:
Some shots of her cottage:
Images courtesy of Design Sponge
I think my favorite parts are the little natural treasures arranged on window ledges, the liberal use of color (especially hot pink, which is shown more in the magazine spread), and the little row of tiles in her very humble (by today's standards) kitchen. I also like the fact that she has a row (not a wall) of the tiles she has designed for Ann Sacks. Although it's probably not the case because she has some pretty successful lines with several companies, it makes me wonder if she's like some artist friends I know who can't afford to own much of their own stuff. Anyway, I like the fact that she hasn't plastered her kitchen with her expensive tiles!
I liked this spread so much because I think it's a great example of my two loves - big bold bursts of color (again, seen better in the mag), and great utilization of a space 'as is.' Not to be a downer, but I actually think there so many blogs, magazine spreads and TV shows about design makeovers that I think they encourage us to re-do spaces that don't necessarily need it. I've worked with clients over the past few years who want to completely overhaul their kitchens and baths - not because the appliances are worn out or fixtures no longer work, but because "everyone wants stainless appliances" or "I don't think anyone likes tiles like this anymore..." I like examples that remind us that a little patina on something is a good thing! And, (in all seriousness), design is starting to become a lot like fashion: if you just a wait a little while, it will come back in style! Perhaps we could move things along and start a movement to "Save the bisque-colored bath decor!" (I could champion that one with all of the 'bisque' in this house). Or, we could put up posters of sad little lines of black and white appliances heading to the appliance junk heap, right behind their gold and olive-colored brothers and sisters. Their little word bubbles would have them all questioning why in the world their perfectly good selves are there in the first place. Okay, I know, I'm not really ready to live with orange shag carpet and olive-colored appliances, but you get my drift: we are often convinced that what we have (and even who we are) is not enough. Any opportunity to show the contrary is a good one, in my estimation! And I hope we'll continue to see more and more examples of real people living in real (not perfect, shiny and new) spaces.
Happy weekend to you and may you cherish "what is" in your life and get out there and enjoy something real that delights you!
Published Friday, March 04, 2011 by iNSIDE. 
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